Type II HUNT-Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Swan
Hunter at Wallsend on 20th December
1939 under the 1939 War Emergency Programme with 16 others of this Class. She
was laid down as Job No J4190 on 7th June 1940.
The ship was launched on 12th March 1941
as HMS BURTON after a Derbyshire , fox-hunt and was
the first RN ship to carry this name. However in June 1941 her name was changed
to HMS EXMOOR following the tragic loss of the 2nd ship of this name in
February 1941. Her build was on 18th October 1941 and following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in
March 1942 the ship was adopted by the civil community of Minehead, in Somerset. This was a particularly appropriate selection since this
is the name of a Somerset foxhunt.

as
escort for damaged Greek destroyer ADR1AS during passage to Alexandria from
Limassol

6th Arrived
at Alexandria.

(For
details of this operation see WAR IN THE AEGEAN by Peter Smith andEdwyn

Walker).

Nominated for service with 22nd Destroyer Flotilla based in Algiers,

Took
passage to Algiers.

31st
Deployed in central
Mediterranean with Flotilla for anti-submarine patrol and support of

military

1 9 4 4

January Flotilla
duties in continuation.

February Nominated for
convoy escort and support of planned allied landings at Anzio.

(Operation SHINGLE – For details see above references)

Escorted convoys to Anzio and provided AA defence off beachheads during build-up Phase

of
SHINGLE.

March Deployment
for anti-submarine patrol and convoy defence in continuation.

10th Took part
in sinking of U450 with HM Escort Destroyers BLANKNEY, BLENCATHRA and

BRECON in position 41.11N, 12.27E off Anzio.

Some
survivors were rescued by shipsof the attacking group.

For
details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp and HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.

April
Deployment for Mediterranean convoy defence in continuation.

to

September

October Deployed for
escort of military convoys to Greek mainland.

Transferred to 3rd Destroyer Flotilla as Leader with HMS LIDDESDALE and other
HUNT

Class
Escort Destroyers

(Operation MANNA – See Military History of War (HMSO)
and Naval Staff History).

November Deployed in
eastern Mediterranean fore convoy defence and support of military operations.

to

December

1 9 4 5

January Flotilla
deployment in continuation.

to Carried
out interception patrol and support duty in Aegean during re-occupation of
islands and

February Greek
mainland.

Deployed with HMS LEDBURY and HMS TETCOTT of Flotilla
to support Greek military unit

sent
to Nisero, Dodecanese to destroy German raiding force..

March Flotilla
support deployment duties in continuation.

to Carried
out patrols for interception of craft evacuating German forces from Aegean
islands,

April Passage
to Taranto for refit.

May Under
refit

Nominated as Reserve for service in Eastern Fleet.

(Note: Other
ships of the Flotilla were retained in the Mediterranean

June Resumed
Flotilla duties on completion of refit.

1st Took passage to UK
to prepare for foreign service.

On
arrival taken in hand for further refit in commercial shipyard at Royal Albert
Docks, London.

August Requirement
for foreign service and refit cancelled

P o s t W a r N o t e s

HMS EXMOOR (ii)
Paid off and
reduced to Reserve status at Portsmouth in November 1945. This ship remained
laid-up there and placed on the Sales List in 1953. Sold to Denmark she was
renamed VELDEMAR SEJR during Danish naval service .In 1962 she was placed on
the Disposal List and sold for demolition locally in 1966.